Jeff Zwart at Pike's Peak
11-24-2010, 02:33 PM
#1
Le Mans Master
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2018 C1 of Year Finalist
Jeff Zwart at Pike's Peak
If this one doesn't make you "pucker up", nothing will.
http://pca.org/Panorama/PanoramaPhot...10RaceRun.aspx
http://pca.org/Panorama/PanoramaPhot...10RaceRun.aspx
11-24-2010, 02:47 PM
#2
Safety Car
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Wow
Awesome ! 
My first thought was, "I thought this was a dirt track"
I can't imagine going from paved to dirt to paved again.
Some of those people are just dying to get bowled over
My first thought was, "I thought this was a dirt track"
I can't imagine going from paved to dirt to paved again.
Some of those people are just dying to get bowled over
11-24-2010, 03:24 PM
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Team Owner
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Must have been a challenge selecting a compromise tire that works well on both asphalt and dirt; great drive! 
11-24-2010, 04:37 PM
#6
Race Director
Amazing!
Having driven that road myself - in a 4wd Dodge Durango - I am IMPRESSED! The saddest part of the drive was seeing all the memorial crosses on the way back down, including one with fresh flowers and a sign that said "We miss you Mommy".............
If you noticed at about the halfway point of the video there was a center island with a building on the left. That's a Ranger station where they stop you on your way back down and check your brakes with an IR gun to catch those that are overheating. I had the Durango in 4wd low range & low gear, just rode it down on engine compression braking and hardly touched the brakes. The lady Ranger thought her IR gun was broken!
If you noticed at about the halfway point of the video there was a center island with a building on the left. That's a Ranger station where they stop you on your way back down and check your brakes with an IR gun to catch those that are overheating. I had the Durango in 4wd low range & low gear, just rode it down on engine compression braking and hardly touched the brakes. The lady Ranger thought her IR gun was broken!
11-24-2010, 05:43 PM
#7
Instructor
Awesome ride! Was that an RSR/GT3? I was fascinated by the shifter, which seemed to be a "bump stick" to increment or decrement the gears. I've been up that road as well, and driving at 15-20 mph scares the hell out of you.
11-24-2010, 08:26 PM
#8
Melting Slicks<br><img src="/forums/images/ranks/3k-4k.gif" border="0">
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2023 C2 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Living here in Colorado Springs and seeing Pikes Peak every day, I've driven the road many times. The road used to be paved only part way up the mountain and the race started where it turned to dirt/gravel. It was run this way for many years until the Sierra club sued the city of Colorado Springs for polluting the lakes and streams on the mountain with gravel that washed off the road. The city settled with SC and agreed to pave the road over several years as they can only pave it during the summer months. As you saw in the video the road went from paved to dirt and back again a few times which the race drivers hate. They would prefer it was all dirt even over all pavement, but I'm sure they will be glad when it is only pavement so they can run the best tire on that surface rather than compromising. Records will continue to be broken as more of the road gets paved and especially when it is completed in a couple years.
11-24-2010, 08:38 PM
#10
Le Mans Master
Reminds me of the spectators that got killed in that desert race.
11-24-2010, 08:52 PM
#12
Drifting
My wife and I took one of our Harleys up there in 1998 or so and at that time at was paved to a point and the rest was that red gravel. You have to love the sound of that engine as he makes his way up the hill.
11-24-2010, 08:54 PM
#13
Melting Slicks
After watching that I miss my Porsche ! Driving to work in a flat six that sounds like that was so much fun. Where I get up to 100mph in the Corvette I used to get up to 140mph in the Porsche. I can't believe I never got pinged by the cops. People used to say to me "is that your Porsche", I'd reply "yep" and they would say "boy you drive that thing hard you should slow down" !
People say Porsches don't handle very well but that car on pikes has the times to prove they do ! Stewy
People say Porsches don't handle very well but that car on pikes has the times to prove they do ! Stewy
11-25-2010, 01:20 AM
#14
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Pikes Peak
I run marathons and Pikes Peak is on my bucket list. It will not be a fast one. The run is on a trail that parallels the road.
21 marathons so far in the last 16 years.
That road course has always facinated me.
21 marathons so far in the last 16 years.
That road course has always facinated me.
11-25-2010, 07:19 AM
#16
Le Mans Master
back in the 70s, we used to hike up there and watch the races from the road side. great place to drink beer and watch. I have driven it a few times, but hiked up it more..used to take tourest friends up the 13 miles trail to the top.
11-25-2010, 03:47 PM
#19
Team Owner
I tried to drive up there in a rented Ford Explorer R-E-A-L slow and my passengers lost their nerve two miles from the top....we never made it. Frankly I was more than glad to turn around.
